Hello everyone,I am brand new to sailing (I will prove it with my lack of proper terminology )I just picked up an '85 Hobie 16'I got it for a steal but the mast was bent.I was able to pick up another mast on my same trip from another guy for $100The original mast is black and the replacement is non anodized aluminum.The replacement mast did not have the halyard attached so I cut off the one from the bent mast.I think if I hadn't cut the top of the halyard, the part that attaches to the top of the mainsail, I might have been ok.I tied a knot in the wire and was able to raise the main before it sank in how the metal part at the top of the mast captures the halyard.So I've made the halyard too short?How much tolerance is there normally?, how far past the capture point can you pull that swaged on chunk before you release it?If I manage to swage a stop on the frayed ends of my halyard I might only lose a half inch of total length, how much do you think I could actually lose if I have to lose more?Any suggestions welcomed, thanks

My 2 cents...just buy a new one. The amount of hassle measuring and adjusting just won't be worth the effort and it still won't be right.The beads, (swedges) on the wire halyard are very precisely located and unless you have the measurements and access to a ten ton press you're creating a failure point in your main sail system.

A swaging tool is pretty cheap and the COPPER stops are a few bucks for several This is a simple fix the measurement that Hobie Matt sent to me is on my postsIt took me about 5 minutes easy easy easyYou should have a swage tool in your Hobie Hell Box anyway the thing has saved a days sailingMurrays Marine sells the tool and so does West MarineFormer Hobie Admiral Gary